Tomato festival at market tomorrow

The South Perry Farmers Market will host its first Thursday Market Tomato Festival at the Shop tomorrow - and stay open for one more hour, so from 3-8 p.m. The event will feature tomato-focused cooking demonstrations and recipes by South Perry Pizza chef Chris Deitz, a tomato beauty pageant contest open to all, and activities for kids.

Chef Deitz of the neighborhood pizzeria will provide a series of demonstrations throughout the market day for easy home-preparation recipes celebrating the beginning of the tomato season in the Inland Northwest. Recipes, which will include a tomato sauce as well as a bruccetta plate, will focus on ways to preserve tomatoes, giving the community tools to eat local tomatoes year-round.

The tomato contest, open to all entries free of cost, will award prizes to tomatoes judged in four separate categories: best flavor, prettiest, biggest and ugliest tomatoes. Participants are welcome to place multiple entries. The contest will be judged by a team of tomato experts, including a farmer and several community members. The weekly kids booth at the Market Info Table will feature Mr. Tomato Head tomato decorating activities.

Via e-mail this morning from the South Perry Farmers’ Market